Monday, February 27, 2012

THANK YOUR FORESTER PETITIONThe National Association of State Foresters and the American Forest Foundation have teamed up to thank our County Foresters and generate support for the Forest Stewardship Program. If you have worked with your County Forester on a Forest Stewardship Plan or other , please show your appreciation by signing the "Thank Your Forester" petition at: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/forest-stewardship/

UF BIOLOGISTS SEEK HELP FINDING OUT WHAT COYOTES ARE EATING
Coyote carcasses wanted! If you have at least 5 coyote carcasses that you would like to provide for this study, you can contact Bill Giuliano at the University of Florida to arrange for pickup (352-846-0575; docg@ufl.edu). If you have fewer than 5 animals or are going to be coming through Gainesville, arrangements can be made to get carcasses from you at the University or combine your animals with others in your area for a pickup. Carcasses should be frozen in a suitable bag or container, and include the name of contributor, date harvested/obtained, and location harvested/obtained (at least to the county level). We have obtained a permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for this project, and will keep information provided by you for this project anonymous to the extent possible by law. We greatly appreciate your help with this valuable study!

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY’s ONLINE DEER STEWARD COURSEThe program is self-paced and conducted online. It is a convenient way to learn everything about white-tailed deer from the leading experts! You will register for the program through the QDMA but will view all the program materials through Clemson University. Foresters earn 4 hous of Category 1 CFEs and 10 hours of Category 2 CFEs without ever leaving your office. You will watch videos from the comfort of your home or office and take exams, all online! This is a great opportunity to earn CFE credits on your own time! Register or learn more about QDMA and the Deer Steward Online program here: http://www.qdma.com/programs/certify/deer-steward-courses/online-deer-steward/.

REPORT FOX SQUIRREL SIGHTINGS
The fox squirrel, named for its fox-like tail, is a charismatic mammal approximately twice the size of the common gray squirrel. The coloration of the fox squirrel is highly variable, ranging from a creamy tan to all black. In Florida, the fox squirrel can be found in almost every county, but the distribution is patchy and not well understood. To better understand fox squirrel distribution, A new research project, conducted by the University of Florida Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, is asking members of the public across the state to report their fox squirrel sightings at the following website:https://public.myfwc.com/hsc/foxsquirrel/GetLatLong.aspx

The Network for Women Landowners held its first meeting on Thursday, January 26th at Bear Creek Educational Forest.Fifteen women were in attendance including private landowners and natural resource professionals.The majority of the time was spent interacting with one another and asking questions of the resource professionals.The meeting was followed by a hayride tour of land management activities at Bear Creek Forest.The goal of the meetings is to cover forestry-related topics affecting landowners in the North Florida area.Topics include:property agriculture classification, silvipasture; available assistance programs, and herbicide use.The group determined that brief monthly meetings with a speaker would best meet their needs for support and education.The first month of the quarter will be a tour of one of the women’s properties in place of a meeting.Participants are encouraged to be involved in the management of their property by learning and doing all they can with as much input as possible.Local consultant and timber buyer lists were made available and landowner programs such as the Forest Stewardship and Tree Farm programs were identified to help each person access current resources and available assistance.

In Gadsden County, and across Florida, there are a wide range of first-time women landowners and generational landowners. This local network gives women access to the information they need to successfully and profitably manage their timber land. The Gadsden County Network of Women Landowners will be hosting a brown bag lunch meeting at Bear Creek Educational Forest on February 22 at 12:00 noon for “The Maze of Agencies”, a program exploring the roles various governmental agencies may play in private forest land management.For more information, contact Cathy Hardin, Florida Forest Service Gadsden County Forester at 875-2937.

The Florida Forest Service manages over one million acres of public forest land and protects more than 26 million acres of natural resources, homes and businesses from wildfire to ensure forest resources for future generations.For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Florida Forest Service, visit www.floridaforestservice.com or follow the Service on Facebook or Twitter.

UF BIOLOGISTS SEEK HELP FINDING OUT WHAT COYOTES ARE EATING If you have at least 5 animals that you would like to provide for this study, you can contact Bill Giuliano at the University of Florida to arrange for pickup (352-846-0575; docg@ufl.edu). If you have fewer than 5 animals or are going to be coming through Gainesville, arrangements can be made to get carcasses from you at the University or combine your animals with others in your area for a pickup. Carcasses should be frozen in a suitable bag or container, and include the name of contributor, date harvested/obtained, and location harvested/obtained (at least to the county level). We have obtained a permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for this project, and will keep information provided by you for this project anonymous to the extent possible by law. We greatly appreciate your help with this valuable study!

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES ONLINE DEER STEWARD COURSEThe program is self-paced and conducted online. It is a convenient way to learn everything about white-tailed deer from the leading experts! You will register for the program through the QDMA but will view all the program materials through Clemson University. Foresters earn 4 hous of Category 1 CFEs and 10 hours of Category 2 CFEs without ever leaving your office. You will watch videos from the comfort of your home or office and take exams, all online! This is a great opportunity to earn CFE credits on your own time! Register or learn more about QDMA and the Deer Steward Online program here: http://www.qdma.com/programs/certify/deer-steward-courses/online-deer-steward/.

REPORT FOX SQUIRREL SIGHTINGSThe fox squirrel, named for its fox-like tail, is a charismatic mammal approximately twice the size of the common gray squirrel. The coloration of the fox squirrel is highly variable, ranging from a creamy tan to all black. In Florida, the fox squirrel can be found in almost every county, but the distribution is patchy and not well understood. To better understand fox squirrel distribution, A new research project, conducted by the University of Florida Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, is asking members of the public across the state to report their fox squirrel sightings at the following website: https://public.myfwc.com/hsc/foxsquirrel/GetLatLong.aspx

Over the next 3 years (2012-2014), the University of Florida will be conducting a study of coyote and bobcat diets in Florida. Of particular interest is the importance of popular wildlife species, including white-tailed deer, turkeys, and bobwhite quail, livestock, and pets in the diet of these predators. Diets will be determined by examining the stomach contents of coyotes and bobcats legally harvested or obtained in Florida. We are asking for your help in obtaining legally acquired coyote and bobcat carcasses, with or without pelts. While we are interested in animals collected year-round, we are particularly interested in animals obtained during June-September. If you have at least 5 animals that you would like to provide us, you can contact Bill Giuliano at the University of Florida to arrange for pickup (352-846-0575; docg@ufl.edu). If you have fewer than 5 animals or are going to be coming through Gainesville, arrangements can be made to get carcasses from you at the University or combine your animals with others in your area for a pickup. Carcasses should be frozen in a suitable bag or container, and include the name of contributor, date harvested/obtained, and location harvested/obtained (at least to the county level). We have obtained a permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for this project, and will keep information provided by you for this project anonymous to the extent possible by law. We greatly appreciate your help with this valuable study!

LEON COUNTY EXTENSION ANNOUNCES PERMACULTURE COURSES

Since 2006, Leon County Extension faculty and advisory committee members have engaged in study and discussion of climate models predicting amplified climate variability and change (with impacts to plant-available water); of peak oil and net energy decline (with impacts to input-dependent farming); of food security issues driven by the foregoing plus unabated growth in our human population and natural resource demand; all in the shadow of a global financial system vulnerable to disruptions. We think that PERMACULTURE is the right topic for the times, and the course we have designed offers it at the right pace and the right price. See the course flyer at:

In partnership with the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), Clemson University is proud to offer the QDMA's Deer Steward course online. This program provides a comprehensive understanding of the key principles of deer and habitat biology, ecology and management. The entire program is self-paced and conducted online. It is a convenient way to learn everything about white-tailed deer from the leading experts! You will register for the program through the QDMA but will view all the program materials through Clemson University. Foresters earn 4 hous of Category 1 CFEs and 10 hours of Category 2 CFEs without ever leaving your office. You will watch videos from the comfort of your home or office and take exams, all online! This is a great opportunity to earn CFE credits on your own time! To register or learn more about QDMA and the Deer Steward Online program, see link:http://www.qdma.com/programs/certify/deer-steward-courses/online-deer-steward/

REPORT FOX SQUIRREL SIGHTINGS

The fox squirrel, named for its fox-like tail, is a charismatic mammal approximately twice the size of the common gray squirrel. The coloration of the fox squirrel is highly variable, ranging from a creamy tan to all black. In Florida, the fox squirrel can be found in almost every county, but the distribution is patchy and not well understood. To better understand fox squirrel distribution, A new research project, conducted by the University of Florida Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, is asking members of the public across the state to report their fox squirrel sightings at the following website: